Legendary Le Sabre - 1964 Buick

Buick's stylish Sport Coupe that was all the rage back in 1964

Feature Article from Hemmings Classic Car

For some, it's a symphony for the senses: The whisper of eight pistons moving with each muted explosion; passing air whipped into a frenzied turbulence as it hurriedly surges into the open side window; the barely audible electric hum of multiple tubes warming up inside the AM radio so that you can surround yourself with the tinny sound of some far-off radio station. You might liken it to enjoying a superb glass of merlot while sitting in a La-Z-Boy.

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Just like picking that glass of vino over a beer, your choice of car can awaken different modes of perception. While others prefer the agonizing scream of drag radials and the fiery belch of exhaust in quarter-mile servings, it's the gentle roll of endless blacktop while tucked away in a spacious cabin that most will fondly recall--even if there is a fire-breather parked next to that comfort ride in the garage. Jekyll, meet Hyde.
The truth is that just prior to the sixth year of the Sixties, the sinister side of the full-size Detroit creations was an aberration. Okay, we'll give you the fact that advertising propaganda of the times constantly referred to ever-escalating performance, but at the time, a bit of power was just part of what was expected of a full-size cruiser. Racing one of these creations in a stripped-out guise was something the other guy did. Most consumers went on leisurely excursions or enjoyed their trip to the office while piloting one of the countless thousands that left the assembly plants in an endless conga line. And the muscle car as most think of it had yet to be unleashed by a company other than Pontiac.
One example of this pre-1966 full-size scene is the elegant, yet sporty, 1964 Buick Le Sabre Sport Coupe. As Buick's best-seller in its full-size lineup, the Le Sabre was approaching its sixth year of production when engineers introduced several refinements. One of the most notable was the deletion of the big 401-cu.in. V-8, which was standard equipment in 1963, in favor of the new 300-cu.in. V-8. This smaller engine helped reduce front-end weight by some 195 pounds (add to that changes to the suspension, steering, frame and wheels, and total weight was reduced by 300 pounds).
Just how the 300-cu.in. V-8 came into existence can be explained (albeit in somewhat simplified form) by saying that Buick needed a replacement for its discontinued all-aluminum 215-cu.in. V-8. The existing 225-cu.in. V-6 was slated to fill the void--however, a tremendous gap would then exist between the 225 and the monstrous 401. Rather than leave that gap intact, engineers opted to take the 225 and add on two more cylinders.
The resulting 300-cu.in. V-8--dubbed Wildcat, in 401 fashion--was cast using not only the same V-6 bore spacing, but also the same 3.75 x 3.40-inch bore and stroke. Part of the aforementioned 195-pound weight loss was due to the engine's compact size. That reduction was enhanced by the somewhat extensive use of aluminum in the new engine; aluminum parts included the water pump housing, timing chain cover, rocker arms, pistons, intake manifold and the one-year-only wedge-shaped aluminum cylinder heads. Along the way, the 300-cu.in. block became the lightest Buick V-8 engine in regular mass production.
When topped with the standard two-barrel carb and 9.0:1 compression ratio, the engine was able to produce 210hp and 310-lbs.ft. of torque. Customers who were willing to part with an extra $21.82 were treated to a four-barrel carburetor and a higher 11.0:1 compression ratio, receiving 250hp and 335-lbs.ft. of torque in exchange for their cash layout. Only the Le Sabre station wagons got the oft-discussed 401 engine, which was standard equipment on those models.
Backing either engine as standard equipment was the three-speed synchro-mesh manual transmission: pretty standard for the day. Even the optional automatic was far from shocking, except that Buick offered both the two-speed Super Turbine 300 and three-speed Super Turbine 400 as options. Contrary to what one might think, these automatic transmissions were not the next generation of the famed Dynaflow.
Our feature car, owned by Buick enthusiast Ed Behm from Celina, Ohio, wasn't picked at random. Ed will be the first to tell you that his love affair with the 1964 Le Sabre started back in the early Sixties when he and his wife, Nancy, signed on the dotted line for their first new car: a maroon 1964 Le Sabre four-door hardtop.
"After something over 200,000 comfortable miles, the body was in such bad shape that we had no choice but to send it off to the salvage yard; the engine was still running strong, though," recalled Ed. "We couldn't get over that '64 Le Sabre, so we started our search for another one with low mileage."
Finding such a car today is a daunting challenge. Anything less than 50,000 miles on the odometer and it's a sure bet that the asking price will be pretty steep. But back in 1981, quite the opposite was true. Then-traditional collector cars were pre-war vehicles and the recognized full Classics, while cars from the Sixties were nothing more--with a few rare exceptions--than late model cars.
Ed was thumbing through the Trading Post, a local publication based out of the Toledo, Ohio, area, when he spotted a 1964 Le Sabre two-door hardtop for sale; it had been driven only 40,000 miles. Arrangements to meet up were quickly made, and upon arriving, Ed learned the seller was a college student. "The young man had purchased the Le Sabre from an estate sale," Ed told us. "A 96-year-old lady, who had bought it new and had not driven it during the last five years of her ownership, had owned it. And the car had been kept in a heated garage."
Thanks to being the proverbial little-old-lady car of myth and legend, the Le Sabre was in a remarkable state of preservation. Sitting under the hood was the 250hp variant of the 300-cu.in. V-8, backed by the Super Turbine 300; the body was finished in its factory application of two-tone Surf green and Arctic white lacquer. A lone exception to the immaculate condition was some cracking of the paint on the lower panels.
Ed and Nancy officially took possession of the Le Sabre on October 8, 1981, but their initial plans for the car soon began to unravel. Ed was kind enough to recall their early decisions: "It was supposed to be a daily driver, but it was just too nice, especially after we took the time to clean up the exterior and detail it inside and out. Even though it was going to be 18 years old, we decided to start showing it instead, but we wanted to repair the flaws that had developed in the paint first." With those spots refinished and a thorough buffing, the Le Sabre was ready for the relaxed life of car shows and special events.
Hard to imagine, then, that when we caught up to Ed some 28 years later, the Buick still looked as good as new. Chalk one up to diligent mechanical maintenance and continuous care. In that time span, Ed and Nancy have only added on some 15,000 miles, equating to--as Ed estimated--600 miles annually.
Furthermore, no improvements have been made to the car to enhance drivability. The stock independent front suspension works in conjunction with the finned aluminum brake drums. In the rear, the control arms and track bar have not been modified to a later four-link setup. And the factory 3.07:1-ratio rear gear was never replaced for something that would have provided more grunt at the nearest start line; this was meant to be a comfort cruiser, not a muscular racer.
Based on all that originality, it was no surprise to us to find that the bench seat was as firm as the day it left Flint, or at least it seemed that way. The combination of Bayonne cloth surrounded by leather-grained vinyl bolsters had just enough grip to allow minute adjustments to seating posture, yet prevent you from sliding clear across to the other side of the car. Front door armrests were standard, but we found that using the windowsill felt more comfortable.
Behind the two-spoke steering wheel are two large, circular gauges: 120-MPH speedometer on the left with a four-in-one auxiliary on the right. Between the two is a somewhat small gear indicator, turn indicators flanking the high beam indicator, and the optional clock above--it's everything a pleasant drive requires, all set into a standard padded dash.
It only takes a second for the 12-volt system to ignite all eight cylinders, and as the engine swiftly settles into a steady idle, only a few fingers are needed to move the slender gear selector into drive. Releasing the power brakes, throttle response is surprisingly fast, without any hint of hesitation.
Even with the two-speed automatic, it seems as if there's no limit when it comes to top-end power. That said, we weren't attempting to duplicate Motor Trend's 1964 road test, so prudence reigned supreme. We're not saying that we didn't take the liberty of nudging the needle on the speedo past the one o'clock position; on the contrary, the speed alert buzzer settled the right foot.
The Le Sabre's cornering ability is surprising, as well. The anti-roll bar helps keep body roll to a minimum, while understeer is nothing more than a slight possibility at higher speeds. Buick's 12-inch-diameter drums are quite capable of getting the job done safely, with plenty in reserve for that single moment when somebody too busy on a cell phone jumps out in front of you.
In all, the 1964 Le Sabre left an indelible image, and it rapidly became clear to us why Buick sold 124,643 two- and four-door models (not including another 10,520 station wagons). Now we just have to finagle a way to add another vehicle into our own collection.
Owner's View
"We've had a lot of fun over the years taking this hardtop to numerous car shows and parades around the area. The accolades bestowed upon it still amaze us considering how old the paint is. We also own a 1964 Le Sabre convertible, but what we love about the hardtop is the factory roof ribs, which makes it look like a convertible.
"Nancy and I have every intention of continuing to take it to car shows for as long as we can, enjoying each and every drive out and back." - Ed Behm
What to Pay
Low: $4,000
Average: $8,000
High: $14,000
PROS
You'll wish short trips were longer
Easily maintains today's highway speeds
Nimble performance from full-size platform
CONS
Mid-size Skylark is more desirable
Trim and body parts hard to come by
Somewhat lethargic compared to 401 engine
Club SCENEBuick Club of America
P.O. Box 360775
Columbus, Ohio 43236
614-472-3939www.buickclub.org
Dues: $40/year; Membership: 10,000
1964 Buick Le Sabre Specifications
Base price: $3,061
ENGINE
Type: OHV V-8, cast iron block and aluminum cylinder heads
Displacement: 300 cubic inches
Bore x Stroke: 3.75 x 3.40 inches
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Horsepower @ RPM: 250 @ 4,800
Torque @ RPM: 335 @ 3,000
Valvetrain: Hydraulic valve lifters
Main bearings: 5
Fuel system: Single four-barrel carburetor, mechanical fuel pump
Lubrication system: Pressure, gear-type pump
Electrical system: 12-volt
Exhaust system: Single with transverse muffler
TRANSMISSION
Type: Super Turbine 300, column-mounted shifter
Ratios 1st: 1.77:1
2nd: 1.00:1
Reverse: 1.77:1
DIFFERENTIAL
Type: Hypoid, semi-floating axles
Ratio: 3.07:1
STEERING
Type: Recirculating ball, power assist
Ratio: Variable, 24.1:1 to 17.5:1
Turns, lock-to-lock: 3.5
Turning circle: 43.11 feet
BRAKES
Type: Four-wheel hydraulic, self-adjusting, power assist
Front: 12-inch finned aluminum with cast-iron liners
Rear: 12-inch finned steel
Swept Area: 197.32 square inches
CHASSIS & BODY
Construction: Body on "Safety-X" welded box section frame with "extra heavy" side rails in body
Body style: Two-door hardtop
Layout: Front engine, rear-wheel drive
SUSPENSION
Front: Independent, unequal-length A-arms, coil springs, tubular shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Rear: Rigid axle, three-links, coil springs, tubular shock absorbers, traction bar
WHEELS & TIRES
Wheels: Stamped steel, ventilated
Front/Rear: 15 x 6 inches
Tires: BFGoodrich Silvertown
Front/Rear: 8.15 x 15 four-ply
WEIGHTS & MEASURES
Wheelbase: 123 inches
Overall length: 218.8 inches
Overall width: 78 inches
Overall height: 56.4 inches
Front track: 62 inches
Rear track: 61 inches
Shipping weight: 3,629 pounds
CAPACITIES
Crankcase: 4 quarts (less filter)
Cooling system: 15 quarts
Fuel tank: 20 gallons
Transmission: 8 pints
CALCULATED DATA
Bhp per c.i.d.: 0.83
Weight per bhp: 14.52 pounds
Weight per c.i.d.: 12.10 pounds
PRODUCTION
Le Sabre Sport Coupe 24,177
PERFORMANCE *
0-60 MPH: 10.5 seconds
¼-mile ET: 17.8 seconds at 78 MPH
60-0 MPH: 170 feet
*Motor Trend May 1964 road test in a four-door Le Sabre equipped with the Super Turbine 400

This article originally appeared in the March, 2009 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.